The Ganosamhati Andolon on Tuesday got registration of the Election Commission as a political party with ‘Mathal’ (peasants’ straw hat) as its election symbol.
The party, led by Zonayed Saki, received its registration under the provisions of Chapter 6A of the Representation of the People Order, 1972.
The party’s registration number is 53.
Election commission secretary Shafiul Azim handed over the party registration certificate to a Ganosamhati Andolon delegation.
The gazette regarding the registration, signed by Shafiul Azim, read that following the ruling and order given in the writ petition of the Bangladesh Supreme Court’s High Court Division on April 11, 2019, the Ganosamhati Andolon had been registered as a political party under the provisions of Chapter 6A of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, until further orders from the Bangladesh Election Commission.
The Ganosamhati Andolon applied for political party registration with the Election Commission on December 28, 2017.
The commission, however, rejected the application, prompting the party’s chief coordinator, Zonayed Saki, to file a writ petition in the High Court.
On April 11, 2019, the High Court ordered that the registration be granted within 30 days.
The Election Commission appealed against this order. Following the student-led mass uprising that resulted in the resignation of Sheikh Hasina government, the commission reversed its decision.
On September 5, before his resignation, outgoing chief election commissioner Habibul Awal decided not to pursue the appeal.
On September 10, the Election Commission withdrew its appeal from the Appellate Division against the High Court ruling.
On the same day, the Election Commission Secretariat issued a public notice giving six days for any objections regarding the party’s registration. The deadline for objections ended on Sunday.
